#ProPalestinian activists rally outside #PortlandME courthouse to support fellow #protesters

Morgan Womack, Portland Press Herald, Maine
Thu, July 10, 2025

Jul. 10—"A group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside the #CumberlandCountyCourthouse on Thursday morning ahead of a court hearing for their peers who were arrested at a protest in May.

"More than a dozen people rallied with signs and a #PalestinianFlag as 10 people — half of the group that was previously arrested — awaited their arraignments. During their hearings, they each pleaded not guilty to one count of #obstructing a public way. The rest of the group will appear in court at a later date, the protesters said.

"Jamila Levasseur, 70, of #WaldoME, was one of the 20 people arrested in Portland on May 21 after police accused them of blocking the intersection of Commercial and Pearl streets near the U.S. Custom House. She said at the time that she'd be arrested as many times as necessary to bring attention to the widespread #starvation and ongoing #Israeli airstrikes in #Gaza.

"When appearing at the stand, Levasseur told District Court Judge Jed French that she was 'protesting against #genocide in #Gaza' before entering her not-guilty plea. She referenced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin #Netanyahu's recent talks with President Donald #Trump, recognizing their joint strikes on #Iran and discussing plans for a 60-day #ceasefire that would halt Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza.

" 'Those are the #WarCriminals,' Levasseur said. 'We're not criminals.'

"Levasseur said she couldn't have anticipated that the war would still be going on 21 months after it began. She said she's thankful that a group of attorneys stepped forward to represent the protesters for free, and that the May demonstration in the Old Port attracted a new, larger crowd of supporters.

" 'More and more people are waking up, learning what's going on, horrified, and want to do something,' Levasseur said. 'The people we were arrested with, I didn't even know them all when we were arrested. ... It's not the usual suspects. It's just more ordinary people.'

"Levasseur and #AbigailFuller, 65, of Portland, were also arrested at a February 2024 protest on Franklin Street for obstructing a public way. Their charges in those cases have since been dropped.

"Fuller, who is also a lecturer at the University of Southern Maine, said she felt supported by the group of people outside the courthouse while walking into her arraignment. She pleaded not guilty and also told the judge she was protesting genocide when she was arrested.

" 'It feels good to be starting the process,' Fuller said. 'The Maine courts system takes a really long time, often, to get through, but this is the first step.'

"Fuller said she appreciates seeing new faces at protests, especially as airstrikes and shootings in the #GazaStrip continue, killing people attempting to receive #HumanitarianAid.

" 'Unfortunately, Palestinian deaths are not on the front pages of the newspaper anymore,' Fuller said. 'So, we're trying to keep that in the public eye.' "

https://www.yahoo.com/news/pro-palestinian-activists-rally-outside-224800107.html

#PortlandME - '#DisruptBusinessAsUsual': 20 #ProPalestinian protesters arrested after blocking traffic

Anna Coon, WGME
Thu, May 22nd 2025 at 4:39 PM

PORTLAND (WGME) – "Portland police arrested 20 people Wednesday during a protest in support of #Palestine.

"The protesters were blocking traffic on Commercial Street before police removed them from the area and opened the road back up to traffic.

" 'Free, free, free Palestine,' people chanted as a handcuffed protester was escorted away by police.

"But arrested protesters say it was their intention to be booked in jail Wednesday, and they say being taken away in handcuffs brings more attention to their cause.

" 'We have written our congressional representatives, we've called them, we've held rallies in the streets, we've done all kinds of things -- everything we can think of,' #MaineVoicesForPalestinianRights Chair #AbbyFuller said. 'And our government has not changed its policy of support for Israel.'

"Fuller helped organize Wednesday’s protest.

" 'Our intention yesterday was to disrupt business as usual,' Fuller said.

"Fuller and 19 others were arrested by Portland police Wednesday afternoon and brought to the Cumberland County Jail. All were charged with obstructing a public way after police gave multiple warnings that arrests were coming.

" 'If you refuse to move or leave you will be arrested, you may also be exposed to chemical agents,' police told protesters over a loudspeaker during Wednesday's protest.

"Two of the people taken into handcuffs are in their 80s, including #BobSchaible.

" 'I've never been arrested before,' Schaible said. 'I've never been put in the back of a police cruiser.'

"But Schaible and Fuller both say they'd do it all over again and want their arrests to inspire action to get #HumanitarianAid into #Gaza.

"This week, the Associated Press reported that expected aid was halted as Israeli strikes killed 86 people in Gaza. Aid groups warn that without supplies, tens of thousands of people, including children, could starve.

" 'Congress has to take a stand,' Schaible said. 'We want the Portland people, more of them, to know what is happening.'

"Fuller says protesters spent several hours in jail before they were released and says the group works with a pro bono lawyer who will represent them in court, for free."

https://wgme.com/news/local/arrested-portland-protesters-hope-their-demonstration-brings-awareness